Resilience

A Year of Resilience at FLVS Full Time

By on May 21st, 2020

As I reflect on the 2019-20 school year, I am reminded of how resilient and steadfast we are. This year’s graduating seniors were born into this world post 9/11, during a time of great uncertainty, and when online education was “just a thing of the future.”

Now they are online graduates during our lifetime’s first major pandemic. It may seem unimaginable, but here we are, persevering!

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Wait! You want me to fail?

By on September 4th, 2018

Have you ever heard of the term fail fast? I will admit that when I first heard the phrase “fail fast and fail often,” I was completely taken aback by the idea. After all, we live in a society that focuses on perfection.

Just look at anyone’s Facebook or Instagram and you’ll see how hard they work to portray a message of perfection with perfect selfies, perfect toddlers, etc. But remember, Facebook and Instagram are just the highlights, that perfect toddler just had an epic tantrum, and SEVERAL filters were used to snap that perfect selfie! Continue reading


Win a Family Getaway to Kennedy Space Center!

By on June 30th, 2015

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There’s still time to enter our summer video contest – and win an awesome new prize!

Share a video of you learning a new skill by July 31 and you could be the lucky winner of a family getaway to Kennedy Space Center!

View all of the contest details here.

Did you know that NASA specifically seeks individuals who have a history of struggle and failures when searching for astronauts and engineers? Those who have bounced back and grown from their mistakes bring with them a unique set of strengths over those with straightforward success stories. Continue reading


The Creativity Conundrum

By on September 10th, 2014

scared to make mistakes cover
When Did Students Become So Scared to Make Mistakes?

Directions: Please read the following article. At the end of the article you will be asked to give your opinion regarding creativity in schools. You will be expected to provide a response that shows thinking outside the box and is worthy of a Nobel Prize. No pressure. Think Creatively. Continue reading


Got Grit?

By on April 17th, 2014

grit coverBright eyed and bushy tailed I moved right from graduation to teaching geography, reading, and running a computer lab. Everyone said, your light will dim and your focus will change. Well, they were wrong.

Let the record show, that was some 10 years ago and my intentions have not changed, but have only grown stronger and more awesome.  Why? Because I “got” grit and I teach my students to have grit.

How else can I prepare my students to function in the interconnected online global world that is full of competition? By never stopping to achieve their goals – that’s how!  Do not be pushed down in the face of adversity. Remember, it is okay and even good to make mistakes; this is how we learn. Stand up for what you believe in. If you get knocked down, get up!  Life can be hard and hurtful. Learn from this and get back to work.

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Standards, Grittiness, and the Underdog

By on March 27th, 2014

resilienceIn his book, “David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants,” Malcolm Gladwell  argues that the people we traditionally considered to be underdogs might actually have unique  advantages created by the very adversity they had to overcome. Gladwell uses the allegory of David  and Goliath to dramatize how David’s victory may not have been as unlikely or extraordinary as we are led to believe.  Perhaps, David relied simply on an unconventional approach and his own audacity to blindside Goliath.  His experience as an underdog forced him to view the situation differently and discover a creative solution to his problem.  David didn’t view Goliath simply as an indestructible giant. Rather, he saw a slow opponent, dragged down by his armor, and unprepared to battle a swifter, more prepared adversary.

Gladwell continues his theory by describing a seeming disadvantage, dyslexia, as a “desirable difficulty.”  Continue reading


The Real Win is in Losing!

By on November 19th, 2013

try againLosing is part of life.  In fact, it is one of the most valuable lessons one can learn.

We don’t get everything we want all of the time.  We can’t win every race.  Tasting defeat only allows us to savor victory and try harder the next time.  Learning how to lose teaches us how to win.

If a child knows they will automatically get a reward for showing up, what motivation is there to try?  If our students’ walls are adorned with ribbons and trophies for participation, we have done them a disservice.  We are teaching them that a promotion will be handed over on a silver platter, not earned.  Grades will be given based on attendance, not effort. Continue reading